LOCAL UPDATE: Mike Brown Makes Handshake Deal with the Cavs

According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the Cavaliers have an agreement in principle to bring their former coach back nearly three years after he was fired just months before LeBron James left for Miami. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the negotiations.

According to a second person with knowledge of the deal, there are still unresolved issues in the talks that are expected to be finalized, including length of the deal (Brown wants five years) and control over personnel. The next question, of course, becomes what that means for the Cavs’ eventual hopes of having a reunion with James as well.

The Heat star has the ability to become a free agent in the summer of 2014, and it’s widely known that he will consider the notion of returning to his home state to continue his championship pursuits. James’ acrimonious departure from Cleveland in the summer of 2010 meant the notion was once thought to be impossible. It remains unclear if James would want to play for Brown again.

Brown had two years and $11 million left on his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers when he was fired five games into the season. The Akron-Beacon Journal was first to report on Brown nearing an agreement with the Cavaliers. The newspaper reported that an announcement could be made as early as Wednesday.

Cleveland gave Brown his first head coaching job before the 2005 season and two years later, the Cavs advanced to their first NBA Finals in franchise history, and lost to the San Antonio Spurs — where Brown got his start as an assistant coach — in four games.

In 2010, the Cavaliers were knocked out of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics in the second round and became the first team in NBA history to win 60 games in back-to-back seasons without making the Finals.

He was fired by the Cavaliers after the 2010 season and hired by the Lakers before the 2011 season. He coached one season and the Lakers went 41-25 and lost in the conference semifinals.